[Herman Maurice, Comte de Saxe, a famous general; son of Augustus, Elector of Saxony; born Oct. 28, 1696; entered the French service, 1720; Marshal of France, 1744; gained the victory of Fontenoy, 1745; died 1750.]

He replied to the offer of a seat in the French Academy, It would become me as a ring would a cat: I do not know how to spell, which will be evident when his exact words are quoted: Ils veule me fere de la Cademie, cela miret come une bage a un chas (Ils veulent me faire de lAcadémie, cela mirait comme une bague à un chat). He was told that Marshal Villars was a member, in spite of not knowing how to read, to say nothing of writing.